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Lys
Lys is a island city located south of the Disputed Lands. It is one of the nine Free Cities of western Essos. It is ruled by a conclave of Magisters. Layout Like many of the other Free Cities, Lys served initially as a port for trade through the empire of Old Valyria, and the functioning of the city still reflects this to this day. Temples to hundreds of gods line the waterfront and the streets, and slaves outnumber freemen three to one. Locations of Particular Note * The Spire of the Alchemists - just east of the centre of the city, a monolith of white stone can be found, and serves as the home of the Alchemists of Lys, famed for their creation of agents such as the Strangler and the Tears of Lys. Nakenno Bahyl, a magister many centuries ago, realised that the alchemists of the city would use their skills to create the substances regardless of the conclave's stance, and instead opted that they should do so openly, to ensure quality, but more importantly, adequate taxation. Whilst other organisations still work within the shadows, it is the Alchemists of Lys that produce the most potent agents that are sold throughout the Known World. The Alchemists of Lys are very secretive in their craft, and are known to take on a new acolyte when one of the elders of their organisation passes. During the attempted coup of the city by the Ostyris family, the Spire of the Alchemists was grievously damaged, although the wealthy Sathmantes family is financing the reconstruction. * The Temple of Trade - one of the many temples found within the city, the Temple of Trade has long been a sight of controversy after the death of Lysaro Rogare, son of Lysandro the Magnificent at the hands of an angry mob following a disagreement turned violently sour. The Rogare Family has since shunned the teachings of the temple, and all those who seek to find themselves on the side of one of the most powerful families in Lys echo their actions. * The Temple of R'hllor - Followers of R'hllor are prolific within the Free City of Lys, their worship centred around the pale-orange stone temple found in the north of the city. Similar to Volantis, the temple is guarded by slave-warriors tattooed with the flames of their god. * The Rogare Bank - after the death of Lysandro Rogare, called Lysandro the Magnificent in 133AA, the Rogare Bank began to decline in power, and was soon eclipsed by the Braavosi-based Iron Bank in terms of preference for the wealthy and those in need of wealth of Westeros and Essos alike. The final blow to the Rogare Bank and House Rogare came in the form of the attempted coup by House Ostyris, in which the Bank was damaged far beyond repair. The Rogares, once one of the most powerful families of the Narrow Sea have since been completely superseded by the Sathmantes Family. * The Vineyards of Stone - the Free City of Lys is famed for its fine white wines, and the Vineyards of Stone is the name given to the street upon which storerooms and cellars filled with casks and bottles are stored before their transport across the Known World. Each major family of Lys owns half a dozen winecellars upon the Vineyards of Stone, and many minor families vie control of those that remain. * The Goddess' Touch - the most famous pillowhouse in Lys, and arguably the Known World, the Goddess' Touch boldly claims to be capable of serving the tastes of every patron to visit, regardless of any oddities they may desire. Bed-slaves from north of the Wall to Naath, courtesans from as far east as Yi Ti and the Plains of the Jogos Nhai, the Goddess' Touch has them all, and offers a bag full of coin to those who do not find themselves pleased after their attendence. * Sathmantes Mint - having changed hands on numerous occassions, the Sathmantes Mint has now returned to its original owners, the descendants of the man responsible for its creation, Ballos Sathmantes. Once a modest building that has now expanded to include the lands once occupied by the Rogare Bank, serves as the primary location for the creation of the coinage of Lys, which bears the native goddess of Lys and are oval in shape. * The Bay of Lys - the waters around which the city of Lys are built are a wonder of their own. Home to a bounty of brightly coloured life from silver-tipped sharks and striped eels to leatherback turtles and azure-shaded octopuses, the Bay not only provides a source of income for the fishermen of the city, but also an attraction for those who wish to marvel at the clear-blue waters and those that populate it. The magister Varidos Nahohr is often seen upon his colossal pleasure barge, moving slowly from one side of the bay to the other, whilst being attended to by an army of servants and pillowslaves. * Canahs - whilst technically not part of Lys itself, Canahs is a small fishing village found around ten leagues west of the city. Timeline of Events * 115BA - Start of the Century of Blood. Dragonlord Families that survived the Doom are slowly killed by disgruntled residents of the Free Cities hoping to revoke the sense of ownership carried by the Dragonlords due to their Valyrian heritage. * 113BA - Following Volantene invasion of the city, Lysfalls under control of the Tiger Triarchs. The Triarchs of the Old Blood are installed in place of the usual Conclave of Magisters. * 60BA - Over the past two generations, the Volantene control over Lys and Myr had begun to steady fade, particularly over the preceding decade. Lys is the first to throw off the shackles of the Tiger Triarchs, and Myr follows half a decade later. * 58BA - An invasion fleet is sent to try and reinstall Volantene control in Lys. On the way, heavy winds from a sudden storm bound from the Stepstones scuttles two-thirds of the ships, and the invasion is put on hold. * 36BA - A slave galley, supposedly from the abandoned city of Gogossos arrives at Lys, carrying with it a variation on the Red Death remembers as Crimson Fever. Fortunately, it proves less fatal as its more nocuous counterpart, but still kills one in fifty, mainly those at the extremes of age. * 29BA-25BA - The Siege of Lys by Volantene occurs, the city finally broke in the fifth year when the Magisters of the city surrender, having long run out of proper provisions. * 23BA - Weapons, intelligence and other resources provided by the Pentoshi continue to arrive at Lys, facilitating the growth of resistance groups preparing for rebellion against Volantis. * 22BA - Lys rebels against their Volantene overlords once again, but is swiftly put down by the new governors of the city. Noble families are put to the sword, and Volantis retains control over Lys for a year and a half longer. * 20BA - The Liberation of Lys occurs, facilitated in part by the fleet of a hundred ships from the Sealord of Braavos. * 13BA - In a final push for domination of the Free Cities, Volantis sends forth its armies and fleets, striking out at Myr, Lys, Norvos and Qohor with thousands of men and hundreds of ships. A young Aegon Targaryen, riding upon Balerion flies to Lys, burns a Volantene fleet before they could provide reinforcements to the invasion force. * 93AA - Upon the appointment of the Tiger Triarch Aerys Maegyr, the Volantenes once again press their claim over the Free Cities of Essos, marching west with a mighty army. They set up watchtowers and fortresses along the Orange Shore as they push for the Disputed Lands. * 94AA - The attack on the town of Achissa, on the southern coast of the Disputed Lands gains the attention of the Three Daughters. The city of Lys, who hold dominion over the walled town, march an army to meet the forces of Triarch Aerys, but are beaten back. The town is sacked, and Volantis continues to strengthen its claim over Essos by claiming much of the Disputed Lands. * 95AA - When the city of Pelosse is attacked in the continuing Volantene conquest, the cities of Tyrosh and Myr agree to offer their assistance in removing the Volantene presence in the Disputed Lands. The city is sacked before a response can be achieved, but the forming of the Triarchy's joint army marked the change of politics in the region. * 96AA - After a series of successful campaigns since the sacking of Pelosse by the Volantenes, the united force of the Triarchy finally expels the armies of the Tiger Triarch Aerys Maegyr from the Disputed Lands following the Battle of the Borderlands. Casualties to both sides numbered in the tens of thousands, but the conflict is remembered more for marking the official start of the 'eternal alliance' of the Triarchy of the Three Daughters, united through desire for prosperity, instead of need through an external threat. * 97AA - The Myrish general Craghas Drahar invades the Stepstones, claiming all of the major isles barring the Isle of Serpents and Dustspear through use of the Myrish navy. Earning the moniker Crabfeeder for the brutality with which he dealt with the pirates he found upon the isles, his actions were praised by that of the Kings and Lords of Westeros. However, it took little more than a decade before he and his Tyroshi and Lyseni companions started to increase the tolls they demanded for safe passage further and further to levels far in excess of that requested by the pirates he had slain. * 99AA - Lys begins to raid ships passing through the Stepstones, selling those captured into the slave trade. Nobleborn Westerosis pay for their passage in costs equivalent to what could be garnered at the fleshmarkets of Slaver's Bay. * 106AA - The Storm-King Rolland I Durrandon of Storm's End wages war on the Triarchy in response to the inhibitory charges associated with passing through the Stepstones, although is bested by the superior naval strength of the Triarchy. Support comes from an unlikely ally in the Velaryons and Celtigars, who have also suffered at the hands of the heavy tariffs demanded by Craghas. Within two years, the joint Westerosi forces have relinquished Triarchy control of all but Pryr and Highwatch. * 107AA - The joint fleets of the Stormlands and the Kingdom of the Claw take Bloodstone, the Veiled Isle, Redwater and Grey Gallows in a series of successful campaigns against the Triarchy. * 108AA - The isles of Guardian and Golden Heaven are captured by the Velaryon fleet, and promptly reclaimed by the Triarchy. The two isles exchanges hands four times over the course of 108AA, and are held at one point by the Pirate-Lord Dagon "Dead-Eyes" who exploiting the fighting between the two competing parties to claim the isles for himself. * 109AA - By the middle of 109AA, the Triarchy had lost control of all of the Stepstones barring Pryr and Highwatch to the navies of the Storm King and the Kingdom of the Claw following numerous battles throughout the isles. * 110AA - Following the loss of the Stepstones to the Westerosis that rose up against the Triarchy, the Tyroshi general Racallio Ryndoon, having visited Sunspear to arrange a deal with House Martell, arrives at Bloodstone with a fresh fleet and army, quickly smashing that left by Storm King and Crab King to watch over the isles. Within three moons, Triarchy control over the Stepstones had been reinstated, sparking further conflicts which raged near continuously for three years more. * 113 AA - The Storm King and Houses of the Kingdom of the Claw are finally forced out of the Stepstones by the joint efforts of the Triarchy and their Martell allies, who lay claim to Dustspear as part of their payment for their involvement. The victory is celebrated for a moon straight throughout Myr, Tyrosh and Lys, paid for by the newly raised tariffs placed on the vessels passing through the isles. * 121AA - As predicted by the Pentoshi, the Triarchy march an army north, pushing past the border of Pentos' and Myr's territory at Long Lake. Taking the small town of Anlos, located just southwest of Long Lake, the Triarchy starts to fortify and expand the settlement, intending to use it as a staging point for the rest of invasion. * 124AA - Following the fall of Anlos in 121AA, the Pentoshi Flatlands are plagued by fighting and war. Moons pass without conflict, a seemed cessation of the aggression, before erupting once more in spectacular fashion. Pentos once again looks to assistance from Braavos, but the Sealord Adaryrio Ostaris is slow to respond, if truly at all. * 127AA - The Siege of Pentos begins, when Triarchy forces finally reach the Free City after a series of campaigns of varied success. The Sunrise Town is sacked by the Tyroshi commander Sallano Ormyr, who orders his men to prepare to starve the city out. A Myrish fleet arrives to blockade the Bay of Pentos, further isolating the Free City. * 128AA - The Siege of Pentos continues into its second year. Some amongst the commanders of the Triarchy grow restless and march south to seek glory elsewhere, but the Tyroshi Sallano Ormyr remains resolute. * 129AA - As the Siege of Pentos extends into its third year, Pentos once again pleas for assistance from Braavos. Where the last Sealord was lax, Adros Eranin is instead motivated to guard against the threat the Triarchy pose, and thus pledges Braavosi support against them. An army of sellswords meets with the men of the Triarchy outside the walls of Pentos, forcing them into retreat towards Long Lake. Preparations are made for the Braavosi fleet to sail south, and smash the Triarchy's own navy, but the latter are caught at the Battle of the Gullet two moons later. * 130AA - The Battle of the Gullet. Having been forced back by Triarchy forces two decades prior, the Crab King Aethen I Celtigar sought a weapon to use against the joint Tyroshi-Myrish-Lyseni armies. Having located a dragon egg upon the isle of Dragonstone, he seeks out individuals of claimed mystical abilities from across the Known World, and by some miracle, manages to hatch the egg. Riding into battle upon the young dragon, his brother Aemon I Celtigar strikes at the Triarchy navy as the sail north to preemptively attack a Braavosi fleet bound south. Aethen and his dragon are slain in the fighting, and although the Triarchy claims victory, it is a truly pyrrhic one for all their losses. * 131AA - In the aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet, the last of the Triarchy's fleet, now commanderless after the death of Sharako Lohar of Lys at the hands of King Aemon I Celtigar is caught offguard by a Braavosi navy. Those few ships that survived the Battle of the Gullet are quickly broken by the Sealord's vessels, and are scattered across the Narrow Sea. * 133AA - Following the marriage of his sister to the Archon of Tyrosh, Lysandro Rogare started to title himself First Magister for Life. Such a title proved grievous to the people of Lys, who were quick to rise up against the Rogares. Lysandro was slain in the streets, and the slow decline of the Rogare Family began. * 134AA - After the death of Lysandro Rogare and his wife, the sister of the Archon of Tyrosh, conflict starts to brew between Lys and Tyrosh. Fighting breaks out in the Stepstones between the members of the Triarchy, although few have many men or ships to commit to the conflict following the devastating losses at Pentos and the Battle of the Gullet against the Celtigars. * 136AA - When Myr declares war of Tyrosh over claims of dominion of the city of Pelosse, the Triarchy is considered to have come to a definitive end. After the fall of the city to a sellsword-bolstered Myrish army, the Tyroshi sue for peace, but the agreement is naught compared to that of the alliance afforded to them years prior. * 218AA - The Braavosi attempt to set up a trading colony of Scarwood, in the Stepstones, much to the irritation of the Tyroshi and Lyseni. The Archon at the time, Vyrio Lashare hires the Wolves on the Wind to attack the colonists, then denies Tyroshi involvement upon the rage of the Sealord. The Braavos abandon their efforts in the Stepstones. * 258AA - A group of ambitious individuals first meet at the Merchant's House in Volantis. Amongst their numbers are the Lyseni pirate Salazor Saan, the exiled Summer Islander Jhalobhar Xoro, Captain of the Bronze Circle Makmol zo Ozoz, the Stormlander Andros Tarth, known as the Blood Sapphire, the Tyroshi nobleman Illan Irnys, Maegon of House Targaryen, Mhysa - a mercenary supposed from the ruined city of Bhorash, the thief known as the Nightowl of Norvos and Mors Bone, the Commander of the Three Sails sellsail fleet. In time, they would be remembered as the Band of Nine, and their actions infamous. * 259AA - The Band of Nine launch a surprise attack on the settlement of Achissa, shattering the few defences that the town possessed. Such actions garner the attention of Lys, who claim dominion over the city, but the fleet needed to ferry the Lyseni army to the Disputed Lands is currently indisposed in the Stepstones, where the Free City is feuding with the Pirate-Lord of Larazor's Rock. When they eventually arrive, they find the town to be fortified, and ruled by the Tyroshi merchant Illan Irnys. Commanded by Telyr Ostyris, the Lyseni army moves to liberate the city, but such actions leave the city of Lys unguarded. The fleets of Salazor Saan and Mors Bone sail into the harbour of the Free City, delivering the Bronze Circle and Mhysa's Men into the Lysene streets. The city falls, and the Band of Nine installs themselves as the new Conclave of Magisters in the city. * 260AA - The Band of Nine continue their expansion in the Disputed Lands, claiming the land around the Navari river and the Violet Lake, as well as pushing further east towards the Orange Shore. During the attempted theft of the ancestral axe of House Aerteris of Volantis by the Nightowl of Norvos the sister of the current Tiger Triarch Haelor Staegone is killed, and the wrath of the First Daughter is unleashed. Staegone sails west to Lys in hunt of the rest of the Band of Nine, ravaging the city. Those of the Band of Nine that survive flee for the Stepstones. * 261AA - The rebuilding of the city occurs following the expulsion of the Band of Nine by the Tiger Triarch Haelor Staegone. There were those in the city that feared the Volantenes may seek to conquer the city, but true his word, Haelor invaded only to seek revenge against the Band of Nine in response to his sister's death at the hand of the Nightowl of Norvos, and returned to Volantis after their defeat. * 297AA - The Ostyris family attempts to seize control of the city, aiming to install themselves as Magisters for life. Civil war ravages the city of Lys for the best part of a year, resulting in a number of major casualties from the noble families of Rogare, Vhassyl, Lohar and Ostyris itself. Lysaro Rogare is slain in a deadly duel in the city streets, and much of his kin join him in the afterlife when the Rogare Bank is set ablaze in a botched effort to secure the vaults. Realising that the wealth promised to them by the Ostyris family is unlikely to materialise, the Steeltips, a sellsword company hired by Tylar Ostyris to assist in the coup, sacks the Spire of the Alchemists, having heard of supposed riches within. The sacking ends with a colossal explosion when several volatile reagents are combined accidentally, raining stone, glass, alchemists and mercenaries over much of the city. The declining Sathmantes family becomes the unlikely saviour of the city when Beleo Sathmantes, a scion of the family sent the continent of Sothoryos in search of riches, returns to the city, bringing with him an army of sellswords. Catching the Ostyrises by surprise, a joint effort by the Sathmantes, Vhassyls and Nahohrs casts aside the would-be rulers for life, and restore order to the city. * 298AA - The Commander of the Steeltips, along with several of his serjeants, is executed in the plaza near the ruins of the Spire of the Alchemists as punishment for their actions during the Ostyrises' attempted coup. The Alchemists had served as a major source of exports for the Lyseni, from the widely used healing salve firemilk, to the expensive and rare poison known as the Tears of Lys. * 298AA - After the failed coup of the militaristic Ostyris family, the nobility of Lys suffered a number of high profile casualties, including the Magisters of House Rogare, Vhassyl and Lohar, as well as the loss of the Spire of the Alchemists and the Rogare Bank. It is the Sathmantes that now hold the most power within the city following the collapse of the Rogares' assets, although it is the Nahohrs that enjoy the greatest reputation beyond the borders of Lyseni territory. Famed shipwrights without parallel, even outstripping to the workers of Arsenal in terms of quality, the family has grown extraordinarily wealthy from the sale of cogs, longships and warships, as well as custom flagships. Both the Storm King Durrandon and the Prince of Dorne in Sunspear have utilised the Nahohrs for their services, and as such, much like Tyrosh, Lys enjoys amicable relationships with both the Stormlands and the Principality of Dorne. Category:Lys Category:Free Cities Category:City Category:Essos Category:Island